Walk: Taking the Devil’s Beef Tub by the horns

📌 Moffat Hills, Dumfries & Galloway
★★★★

This excellent half-day route ascends from Ericstane to the rim of the Devil’s Beef Tub – a grassy hollow and reputed hidey-hole for cattle once rustled by Clan Johnstone – and follows it around in a horseshoe before returning to the valley. The summits around the head of the glen are rather flat-topped, but the ground drops away dramatically into the “tub”, allowing spectacular views south towards Moffat. This circuit also visits the source of the River Annan, marked by a large cairn and the highest point of the Annandale Way long distance footpath.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish at Annan Water Community Hall, minor road 3 mi north of Moffat

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 075103

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.378297,-3.461156

❌ No public transport within 1 mi

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 12 km / 7 mi | ▲ 520 m | ⌛ 3.5-4 hr

Features: 🐮 Devil’s Beef Tub ★★★; △ Annanhead Hill (478 m); △ Chalk Rig Edge (500 m)

⬤ Moderate | Good track for ascent & final section, otherwise route uses grassy paths with boggy areas.

➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – Ericstane – Ericstane Hill – Annanhead Hill – Great Hill – Chalk Rig Edge – Ericstane by Tweedhope Burn & Annandale Way – start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Cows & sheep in adjacent fields, lizards, frogs / toads, butterflies, spittalbugs. Crows, skylarks, meadow pipits.

Weather: Mostly sunny, around 20°C for most of the walk with a light breeze.

June 2025